


merry candlenights

by madameofmusic



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Drabble, M/M, Queer TAZ Candlenights, balance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 20:34:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17128289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madameofmusic/pseuds/madameofmusic
Summary: Domestic fluff and holiday shenanigans. A gift for umbrellaxey.





	merry candlenights

**Author's Note:**

> You asked for Taakitz domestic fluff! I hope I delivered.

Candlenights always made Taako a little tense. When he and Lup were little, it was always a toss-up where they’d be, and if they’d be anywhere warm, with any sort of food at all. And then, during the lost years, with Sazed, and then with no one at all, Candlenights was spent on the road, traveling town to town and trying to find welcoming inns with actual bed space instead of just open patches of barn floor. 

Needless to say, Taako’s not ready for the first Candlenights after the day of Story and Song. He has… a house, with Kravitz, and everyone is alive and well around him (and he remembers them all), and it’s just… strange. 

Thus, he’s been stress baking for the last six hours. Since he and Kravitz’ house is the most central out of all of them, he’d offered to host everyone. 

He didn’t account for the fact that, neither himself nor Kravitz, who’d not had a holiday with other people since he died before Candlenights was a thing, knew anything about putting together a typical Candlenights. Even on the Starblaster, they’d celebrated their old homeworld’s celebrations for the first few cycles, and then nothing for the rest of the 100-year journey. 

“Love,” Kravitz says, shoving a book at Taako. “This says we have to do ham.” 

Taako rolls his eyes and shoves the book away. “Frankly, sweetums, I’d rather die.” He hefts the heavy bowl he was stirring higher up in his arms, and blew a strand of hair out of his eyes. “We do turkey or we do vegetarian.” 

Kravitz frowns, but relents. “It also says something about… eggnog?” 

Taako snorts. “Gross. Magnus will probably love it, though. Add it to the store list.”  Kravitz dutifully scribbles down the drink onto one of several lists spread before him. 

“Oh, also, dear—” Kravitz flicks through the book, and stops on another page. “Fruitcake?” 

“Absolutely not," says Taako, shaking his head.

Kravitz shrugs, not looking too put out by his boyfriend’s refusal to make fruit cake. Frankly, it looked pretty gross anyway. “I think that’s it then?” 

He nods decidedly. “Good. You wanna make a store run and I’ll finish up and get this in the oven before starting on decorations?” 

Kravitz stands, running his hands over his gaudy Candlenights sweater nervously, making the little bells jingle. “If you’re sure. Are you certain we’ve not missed anything?” 

Taako sets the bowl down, and claps his hands together, sending a small cloud of flour into the air, before tugging Kravitz closer and pressing a soft kiss to his boyfriend’s jaw. “I’m positive. Don’t be such a worrywart.” 

Kravitz smiles warmly for a moment, before nodding. “Alright. I’ll be back in a jif.” 

Taako steps back and let Kravitz tear a hole next to them. “Don’t forget the mead.” 

“I won’t.” Taako waves goodbye before picking up the bowl once more and dumping it into a pan, then shoving it in the oven. 

He leans against the counter for a few moments, taking a deep breath and trying to shove off the nerves. He hears the telltale sound of a rift opening up. “You’re back—” He stops, gaping at the people filtering through the rift. “You guys weren’t supposed to be here for another hour!” 

Magnus claps him on the shoulder before pulling him into a hug. “We figured you might need help!” 

Lup shuts the rift behind the small crowd, and makes her reaper garb disappear, replacing it with an even uglier sweater than the one Kravitz had been wearing. “It looks like we weren’t wrong, either, little brother.” 

Taako mutters  _ by three minutes _ under his breath, and pushes off the counter. “Well, Krav’s at the store getting some final stuff. If the rest of you want to pull up a movie—?” 

Merle hops up on one of Taako’s kitchen stools, and spins. “We can help cook.” 

"You can,” Lup says, picking up her apron she keeps at Taako’s house and tying it around her waist. “But you won’t. Go set up a game or something.” 

Merle grumbles as Angus’ and Magnus’ combined enthusiasm at the prospect of a game drags him into the den. Barry hovers near the door, Lucretia standing behind him. “We can—” 

Lup waves at him. “Not come in and ruin all the good food with your grand cooking ideas, babe.” Barry shoots her a look, half-frustrated and half-sheepish. “Tea?” 

Lucretia accepts the mug, and hands the other to Barry. “We’ll be in the library.” 

Taako hums, and Lup watches them leave before wheeling around to face her brother. “Stop it.” 

Taako looks affronted. “Stop what?” 

Lup rolls her eyes. “Stop stressing. It’s just Candlenights, which none of us have really celebrated. You’re not gonna mess it up.” 

Taako squints his eyes. “Stop reading my mind, freak.” 

Lup pulls him into a noogie. “I didn’t, dude, Kravitz called.” 

Just then, the man steps through the newest rift, and freezes. “Hello.” 

“Hiya. Got your call. Everyone’s here.” 

Taako glares at him. “Traitor.” 

Kravitz sets the bags down on the table, and throws up his arms. “What was I supposed to do? Let you worry yourself to death?” 

Taako huffs. Lup kicks him and gives him a pointed look when Taako turns his glare on her. He sighs. “Thanks, Krav.” 

Kravitz smiles and leans over the breakfast bar to kiss Taako on the forehead. “Now, I know you and Lup don’t need me, so I’ll be with the rest of the rabble.” 

Taako waves him off, and then turns to his sister. “Alright, let’s get to work.” 

  
  
  


Almost an hour and a half later, Taako sets the last dish down on the breakfast bar. Everyone’s gathered around the table or in the kitchen, and the warm sounds of laughter and friendly bickering fill the house. He meets Kravitz’s eyes across the room, and smiles. Kravitz smiles back, and mouth  _ Happy Candlenights, my love. _

“Alright, you hellions, dig in,” Taako says, and the crowd — his family — descends upon the food. Within ten minutes, it’s all gone, leaving in its place a dozen people stuffed-to-the-gills and groaning. Kravitz pulls Taako to his side as they watch from behind the bar, and presses a kiss against Taako’s temple. “Good job, love.” 

Lup snorts from Taako’s other side, comfortable shoved up next to Barry. “Please, it was all me.” 

Taako rolls his eyes. “Yeah  _ right _ , Lulu.” 

She narrows her eyes at him. “Taako,” she says warningly. 

He laughs as she shoves at him. Candlenights, though he’d been stressing for nearly a month about it, had turned out a success. 

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr [X ](http://whiskeytangofrogman.tumblr.com/%22)


End file.
